A modernized Pokémon game would include...?

Some days I wish for a modernized Pokémon game, for consoles, PC, whatever! As long as it's not limited by the processing power of a handheld (or on a handheld powerful enough to handle it). I'm getting pretty tired of seeing the exact same formula, over and over, rarely adapting to modern conventions or innovations. It baffles me that a game like this doesn't exist yet, considering the great success of the Pokémon franchise. My wishlist of features would include:

Three dimensional graphics (preferably with a nice stylized cartoon look)

Free-roaming Pokémon (none of that random encounters stuff)

The ability to capture or raise all existing Pokémon in the game without having to interact with another player or go to real world events at toy stores

If there are HM's: Let them be items you acquire, not moves a Pokémon has to learn [Kinda there already*]

Re-usable TM's

24-hour cycle

You know all of those are in B/W, right? Your list confused me is all since a lot of that is already done.

Otherwise I actually agree with quite a few of your points, specifically I want more customization. It bothers me to no end we can't make custom trainers yet and the idea of Pokemon themselves being slightly visually different from others is really cool. We already sort of see it to a lesser degree with shinies, and gender differences but I would like more changes.

Combat needs to stay as is though, it's pretty much perfect. The only thing I'd like to see is triple battles become more prevalent or just the norm but that will never happen in a million years.

*HMs in B/W were only used for side areas, they were not used in main story progression pretty much ever.

If there are HM's: Let them be items you acquire, not moves a Pokémon has to learn [Kinda there already*]

Re-usable TM's

24-hour cycle

You know all of those are in B/W, right? Your list confused me is all since a lot of that is already done.

Otherwise I actually agree with quite a few of your points, specifically I want more customization. It bothers me to no end we can't make custom trainers yet and the idea of Pokemon themselves being slightly visually different from others is really cool. We already sort of see it to a lesser degree with shinies, and gender differences but I would like more changes.

Combat needs to stay as is though, it's pretty much perfect. The only thing I'd like to see is triple battles become more prevalent or just the norm but that will never happen in a million years.

*HMs in B/W were only used for side areas, they were not used in main story progression pretty much ever.

Yes, I just wanted to clarify that those were things I would want to see in a modernized Pokémon game as well, because those features are part of what makes the existing games so great.

I will say also that I want more games like Colosseum and XD Gale of Darkness. Not exactly "modernizing" anything in Pokemon but I like taking the existing model of the series (capturing, battling, exploring) and applying it to games that aren't about going on your own little adventure and collecting badges. Colosseum is hands down one of my favorite games in the series and I wish they would do something that bold again.

Exploiting the Wii tablet would be important. Pokedex and other info would be cool to have away from the main screen. Also using the tablet as some form of scanner or visor to search/photograph/scan stuff.

I would love to see an actual 3D Pokemon game with real-time combat. I'm envisioning an MMO-like type of game, much like what Monster Hunter is doing on the portable systems where you can see other players online. Voice acting is optional, though the Pokemon should actually sound like they are speaking and not shitty sound bites.

I agree with a lot if not all of those things, I don't really care about the multiplayer aspect though, outside of maybe co-op, I could see that being fun. I also don't care if you can customize your Pokemon's appearence or not, customizing your team set up is good enough for me, at the same time I wouldn't say no to Trainer customization.

Achievements could be neat if they are like they were in Smash Bros or Kid Icarus where you get some small rewards for unlocking them.

Combat animations really needs some work from what I've seen of the Pokemon Colliseum games, or rather there needs to be way way more of them and they need to be applicable to all the different sizes of Pokemon. I don't know if they ever made the animations more complex than "wave around for a bit and then you don't actually see anything hitting anything else" but in case they didn't they need to fix that. Because of the work all these animations would require I would be willing to compromise on them having every single Pokemon, adding them all could very well be an iterative process over several games. Also I don't want to have to move any of them over from older games. I mean, the data would already be there anyway.

I could go with the usual combat, but I've long dreamed of a more action oriented 3D version. The image I usually get in my head is one of a quick and nimble little pikachu dodging a Onix's brutal but slow assault and countering with Iron Tail. No random encounters I agree with, all pokemon should be visible but different battle arenas might be required for battles to work in all environments without camera problems or risk of "aggroing" nearby Mons, I dunno, if it works I'd like to see battles take place in the usual environment as well.

I didn't play B&W but not having to have a pokemon with you that has a useless HM move would be great. Let me explore a bit with the trainer, climb some shit, swing on some ropes, swim in some rivers that sort of thing. I can just see it now, once you get the oxygen mask item you can freely explore underwater and fight pokemon there.

This quicklook of Pokepark Wii: Pikachu's Adventure that the guys made a while back shows somewhat what this kind of pokemon game could look like, I mean the combat would obviously have to be much better and you wouldn't play as the Pokemon exclusively, just in the battles. Still, it has a 3D world, it has free roaming pokemon and it has (crappy) real-time combat.

Some days I wish for a modernized Pokémon game, for consoles, PC, whatever! As long as it's not limited by the processing power of a handheld (or on a handheld powerful enough to handle it). I'm getting pretty tired of seeing the exact same formula, over and over, rarely adapting to modern conventions or innovations. It baffles me that a game like this doesn't exist yet, considering the great success of the Pokémon franchise. My wishlist of features would include:

Three dimensional graphics (preferably with a nice stylized cartoon look)

Free-roaming Pokémon (none of that random encounters stuff)

The ability to capture or raise all existing Pokémon in the game without having to interact with another player or go to real world events at toy stores

But if its on the 3ds i would like to see a 3d pokedex at least, if not 3d battles like they did with the pokedex application.

I see your point, but they have been making steps in the right direction (there are ways of interacting with other players online!) so here's hoping it's not entirely impossible that they'll continue to evolve. As to random encounters, FFXII and FFXIII did a great job of successfully moving away from that particular trope so random encounters are not a must.

In truth, just upgrading the graphics to something with polygons would do a lot for the franchise, in my opinion. That could mean moving away from handheld devices though.

Exactly. I mean, it's not like there's precedent for this type of thing.

Wait...

I, for one, welcome our new hat-wearing overlords. Fine. Hats might be more innocent and in line with the overall tone of the games, rather than scars. But man, scars and broken horns. It could be awesome.

@Ravenlight said:

Nothing's wrong with all those elements, I guess I just prefer old-style sprites and shit when I'm thinking about Pokemon games.

We have the technology! I say we utilize it! But, seriously, there are so many Pokémon games in the series yet they all look basically the same. So far there hasn't been a main entry in the series with three dimensional Pokémon battling each other, would it be so bad if they took a step into the modern world by using polygons instead of sprites?

Well good 3d graphic and fully animated attacks which I would assume most would have to be custom to each Pokemon would be impossible. There are now about 650 Pokemon that can be customized and with just as many moves. The asset generation and disk space requirement would be through the roof. Then add on to that voice acting and I assume unique voiced cries for each Pokemon. You would be pushing the limits of a Bluray if not requiring multiple disks. On an Nintendo console you'll never see something like that.

There will never be a day where they will allow you to catch every pokemon in one game. Nintendo loves their money. Wifi Pokemon events however have helped to solve the event pokemon problem a lot. I'm very close to have almost ever event pokemon without ever having to go anywhere. The biggest problem is they would never move the main games from handhelds. As I am sure pokemon sells more handhelds then any other franchise more than mario's, zelda's, and metroid"s. If they moved it to consoles I'm sure that handheld sale would tank.

Balanced multiplayer. Unfortunately this won't happen thanks to how many of the fuckers there are now. Ideally, they would cut the number down to about 40 end-evolution Pokemon and balance the shit out of them.

But if its on the 3ds i would like to see a 3d pokedex at least, if not 3d battles like they did with the pokedex application.

I see your point, but they have been making steps in the right direction (there are ways of interacting with other players online!) so here's hoping it's not entirely impossible that they'll continue to evolve. As to random encounters, FFXII and FFXIII did a great job of successfully moving away from that particular trope so random encounters are not a must.

In truth, just upgrading the graphics to something with polygons would do a lot for the franchise, in my opinion. That could mean moving away from handheld devices though.

Thats true. Although i doubt they will move Pokemon over to the Wii-u considering that they already have plenty of console system sellers, and Pokemon is one of their assured Handheld system sellers.

Don't forget a six hour campaign during which your first Pokemon choice is left badly injured during an event where lots of things explode! The sequel involves either avenging his death, or freeing him from a prison where he has been incarcerated for being a dangerous Pokemon. Seems like a good plan!

A gritty reboot perhaps? Maybe you are overmatched and defeated in a battle by a member of team rocket, who subsequently rapes you when you can't protect yourself. The rest of the game has your character recovering psychologically, by forming bonds with Pokemon and eventually confronting your rapist. Dangerous to go out alone indeed Professor.

I disagree with the free roaming pokeymans. I'd prefer a random system, like seeing silhouettes move through the high grass and still getting into that battle if you touch them (no more every 2 steps battles!).

And the combat should be like Smash Bros Brawl. Ever since playing that game with the Pokeymans trainer I'm convinced that style could really work wonders for the series.